Virg Bernero won't seek re-election as Lansing mayor

Mayor Virg Bernero will host his final State of the City Address on March 14 at Sparrow Hospital. It will be free and open to the public. Bernero decided last week he won't seek a fourth term. The mayoral candidates so far are State Rep. Andy Schor and At-Large Council Member Judi Brown Clarke.(Photo: LSJ file photo)

LANSING — Mayor Virg Bernero announced today in a Facebook statement that he will not seek a fourth term.

The announcement comes less than a week after state Rep. Andy Schor, D-Lansing, announced his own candidacy for mayor and with At-Large Council Member Judi Brown Clarke also weighing a run -- setting up potentially the most competitive field Bernero would have faced since being elected in 2005.

As recently as Feb. 17, Bernero had released a statement critical of Schor and indicating that he was "ready to reapply for my job" as mayor and "I plan to run on my record."

In his Facebook statement, Bernero cited his 25 years of public service, which includes time on the Ingham County Board of Commissioners and in the Michigan Legislature, saying "I must put my family first now."

"With my 91-year-old father, Giulio, living with us, I simply cannot do justice to the city and my family, while running a seven-month campaign, though I still have a lot of competitive spirit in me," Bernero wrote.

Schor reacted with an emailed statement: "Mayor Bernero has served the City of Lansing for 12 years as Mayor and for several years before that in the legislature and county commission. I thank him for his leadership navigating this City through tough times and wish him and his family all the best as he transitions to the next phase of his career and life."

In a follow-up interview with the State Journal, Schor said Bernero's departure wouldn't affect his own campaign.

"I'm running on my vision and my record, and it's gonna be the same campaign that it would have been otherwise," he said. "My path stays the same."

Clarke told the State Journal she plans to announce her decision on a mayoral run within days. About Bernero, she said: "I thank the mayor for his last 12 years of leadership and appreciate his passion for the city."

Among the accomplishments Bernero cited in his statement are leveraging "more than $2.3 billion in new economic development that has retained and created more than 12,000 jobs" and noting that Lansing has become the second city in the nation to remove all of the lead water pipes in the city."

But there also were difficult moments. In early 2016, he was at the focal point of controversy over the departure of then City Attorney Janene McIntyre, who left with a $160,000 settlement agreement that included nondisclosure clauses and financial penalties for violating them. Because the Lansing City Council was not given reasons for the departure, the lingered for weeks as frustrated council members and citizens demanded issues.

Bernero self-styled as the "angriest mayor in America" during the Great Recession, appearing as a frequent guest on cable news to discuss the problems facing America's manufacturing cities and to advocate for the auto industry bailout that ultimately won federal support.

But on the ground in Lansing, his "angry mayor" persona also ruffled feathers and caused some civic leaders to worry that the mayor's abrasive style was hindering regional cooperation that many believe is essential for the region to thrive.

Many people were shocked to hear of Bernero's decision.

"I'm kind of speechless," said Lansing police Detective Brad St. Aubin, head of the police union's non-supervisory division."I would have thought he would have ran again.

"We’ve had our ups and downs during his tenure, and yet we've always tried to do what was right for the citizens," St. Aubin added.

Eric Weber, head of the city's firefighters union, said he was impressed with Bernero's leadership as the city mourned the death of firefighter Dennis Rodeman in 2015, and that the mayor could always have frank conversations.

"He's been a good leader for the City of Lansing and a friend to firefighters," Weber said. "I've been proud to call him my mayor and also my friend."

Developer Joel Ferguson, vice chairman of the Michigan State University board, said the city should not expect Bernero to be a lame-duck mayor or to leave the spotlight altogether.

"He'll stay as mayor until the day his term ends," Ferguson said. "I'm sure he'll work a strong transition with whoever his successor will be ... He's an original. He's very candid, and he's a very honest person, and he's combative. No middle ground with him ... He believes in Lansing, and he will still be a very active person."

The mayor's statement:.

"Citizens of Lansing,

Serving as your mayor these past twelve years has been the greatest privilege of my life. Through good times and tough times, it has been an extraordinary and unforgettable experience. Together, we have worked tirelessly to make Lansing a better place. And we have succeeded in countless ways. Nonetheless, after much thought and extensive conversation with my family, I have decided I will not seek a fourth term as mayor of Lansing.

While I truly love serving the citizens of Lansing as mayor, I must put my family first now. I have served in public office for 25 years. Throughout this time, my family has been at my side. My wife, Teri, and our daughters have helped me and always stood with me. With my 91-year-old father, Giulio, living with us, I simply cannot do justice to the city and my family, while running a 7-month campaign, though I still have a lot of competitive spirit in me.

I will spend the next 10 months continuing to build our city up, rather than tear an opponent down. I will put the finishing touches on some key developments and begin some transformational projects before the end of my tenure. And then I will turn the page at the end of this year and begin a new chapter for myself and my family. I am proud to say that the next mayor will inherit a city in far better shape than I did in 2006.

Since 2006 my team has leveraged more than $2.3 billion in new economic development that has retained and created more than 12,000 jobs. After a 12-year project, Lansing is now the second city in the entire country to remove all of the lead water pipes in the city.

We fought to save General Motors and helped our hometown car company invest another billion dollars in their Lansing facilities. We strengthened regional partnerships with neighboring townships to drive new economic opportunities through 425 tax-sharing agreements. We collaborated with Ingham County to secure regional funding for Potter Park Zoo and the Lansing River Trail.

New development projects are taking off in every corner of the city that will create even more jobs, attract new city residents and strengthen our tax base. Unemployment in the city has now fallen to its lowest level in 15 years. Lansing has the wind at our backs.

To everyone who has been part of this city’s remarkable success over the past decade, I offer my heartfelt thanks. I have been truly blessed with phenomenal partners in the public and private sectors in metro Lansing. The successes belong to you. The mistakes and shortcomings are mine. To my friends and supporters, I ask that you show every courtesy to whoever succeeds me in this vital office. Lansing’s success is up to all of us."